Kiera Osment

Kiera Osment Hello and welcome to my music page, thanks for taking a look! Singer songwriter. Piano/Guitar/cello

After the third person asked if I was still alive - I realised I should probably start posting again. We start all the w...
31/07/2024

After the third person asked if I was still alive - I realised I should probably start posting again. We start all the way back in April in Gyeongju where cherry blossom season was in full swing.

The journey to and from Hue was probably a highlight - the destination not so much but that’s mostly due to the tour gui...
09/02/2024

The journey to and from Hue was probably a highlight - the destination not so much but that’s mostly due to the tour guide speeding us through every attraction like we were under threat, not even giving me enough time to remove my lens cap. (Yet there was always enough time to wait and hear her recite poetry and sing songs!) I loved driving along the Hai Van Pass looking down upon the sea, stopping at a beautiful lake and passing through mountain roads whilst admiring the vines growing over the trees creating a mangled sea of green.

Commiting another mortal sin of double posting but I’ve been doing nothing but writing these days and I leave for Taiwan...
08/02/2024

Commiting another mortal sin of double posting but I’ve been doing nothing but writing these days and I leave for Taiwan in two days so I figured I’d post whilst it’s still relevant!

What can I say about Hoi A but wow? It throughly charmed me through and through, its little yellow buildings burying a hole in my heart. The moment I stepped foot out my hotel into the sunshine tinted streets I felt a wave of calm fall over me in contrast to the fast paced nature of Hanoi. Perhaps this is due to the fact that motor bikes are banned from the historical centre during peak hours, taking away the relentless cacophony of engines and leaving me to free to wander around without eyes on the back of my head! Hoi An was surprisingly peaceful, at least until darkness fell and crowds flocked to see the lanterns draped over every building, casting a golden light upon the town, like an eternal sunset. The twilight crowds also grew along the river side, eager to admire lanterns lazily bobbing upon the water.
Even, the bicycles that towed the tourists around did not disturb the peace, as they lacked horns or bells and instead yelled ‘honk’ or been’ to alert pedestrians of their presence.

In Hoi An, there were numerous vegan restaurants, one of which I went to three times because their food was to die for, their pumpkin coconut cream curry will haunt me with longing until the end of time.
Additionally, despite the historical centre of Hoi An being rather small, I managed to wrack up ten miles in one day, on a quest to conquer every alley and absorb every piece of charm Hoi An had to offer.

From dawn to dusk, Hoi An had me under its spell and will certainly leave a mark on my list of favourite places.

The morning hastily commenced, ushered onto a boat of 90 other people by a tour guide who exuded a demeanour reminiscent...
07/02/2024

The morning hastily commenced, ushered onto a boat of 90 other people by a tour guide who exuded a demeanour reminiscent of a ‘not angry but disappointed’ father from the movies. After devouring a few cold fries and some limp noodles, breathtaking rock formations emerged outside the window like curious giants. I scrambled out of my chair and quickly clambered to the top of the boat to peer at the scenery in awe. I was finally in Halong Bay.

The boat continued its journey along the bay, whilst I ran around with a camera, eager to capture every angle until we reached our next destination. Here we were bundled onto traditional boats - alongside hundreds of others from different ships. Unfortunately this place is very popular, but can I fault for having the same dream as me?

The little boat ventured into a cave and into a lagoon, where we encountered a group of lively elderly people. They were singing their hearts out, swaying with such ferocity I feared they would tip their boat. Their energy was contagious and soon it spread to the other boats and quickly the lagoon and caves were full of interlapping voices and tunes bouncing off the cliffs. Also within the lagoon, were copious amounts of kayaks. The occupants were unable to master the ability to move or steer in a straight line resulting in them smashing into each other whilst frantically trying to dodge the bigger boats.

Afterwards, we headed through Sung Sot Cave. I was pleasantly surprised by the grandeur of the cave, in awe of its vastness and the shadows cast by the lanterns. The cave’s ceilings and walls resembled art, with patterns covering every surface, crafted by the brush of erosion and time. However, it is possible my appreciation is biased by the power of suggestion - as my tour guide was rather heavy-handed with his laser pointer - “You see, this is a dragon, this is a monkey and this is another dragon…..”

Unfortunately, we eventually had to head back to Hanoi - I watched the sun go down revelling in the memories of the day and settled back on the bus to eat ever more dried mangos filled with both satisfaction and longing.

At Monkey Mountain - after an awkward moment during which our tour guide started rubbing a fellow visitor’s belly whilst...
07/02/2024

At Monkey Mountain - after an awkward moment during which our tour guide started rubbing a fellow visitor’s belly whilst calling him happy Buddha, we were granted freedom to roam around. The green of the temple against the sea and sky, the towering lady Buddha and the monkeys clambering up the tips of the temple gates were a sight to behold!

Unfortunately, after our lovely time at Monkey Mountain, we travelled to a marble factory. The factory was interesting initially as it was lovely to watch the artisans at work, crafting the statues that adorn the Vietnamese temples. However, we were then ushered into a gift shop for 30 minutes and herded by persistent sales staff who tried to make me buy a 200-dollar ball of marble - no thank you! Despite my tendency to people please, I held firm! 🙂 Alas, stuff like this is inevitable sometimes when you can’t drive!

At Marble Mountain, we had to climb through a tiny hole in a cave - and as always I was inappropriately dressed. However, despite my skirt and an oversized backpack I managed to squeeze through the gaps and was rewarded with epic views and more beautiful caves!

In the afternoon, after devouring more dried mangos, fatigue caught up with me, only awakening upon our arrival at My Son Sanctuary during golden hour. We wandered around the complex of ancient ruins glowing in the evening light before finishing with a sunset boat ride down the river with some delicious tofu banh mi!

Second post of the day! I know…such a Instagram faux pas, but I’m desk warming okay! Let me entertain myself!I was able ...
06/02/2024

Second post of the day! I know…such a Instagram faux pas, but I’m desk warming okay! Let me entertain myself!

I was able to borrow a film camera for my trip to Vietnam. I chronically take an excessive amount of photos and am prone to the spray and pray approach that doesn’t allow me to stop and think about what I’m taking a photo of. Using the film camera for the week I quickly became more cognisant of the images I was capturing and the world around me, from the way light and shadows crept and bounced along walls, to the speed and trajectory of people and objects. Limited to 36 shots per roll I had to work on my patience, waiting for the elements to align and create the perfect framing. Fast forward to to me standing on street corners for five minutes waiting for a motorbike with a pop of colour, subtly chasing after a couple of monks about to walk under an arch and dashing behind a newly wedded couple.

Here are few of my favourite snaps of people!

Hanoi was electrifying, in the sense that my heart was racing constantly like I had just touched an exposed wire. It was...
26/01/2024

Hanoi was electrifying, in the sense that my heart was racing constantly like I had just touched an exposed wire. It was a test of courage, which required me to take a giant leap of faith every time I crossed the road. I had to override my instincts to sprint and instead walk slowly so the motorbikes would swerve around me. Even the pavements weren’t safe, with motorbikes attacking from every angle honking their horns. I can’t lie I was a little overwhelmed at times, my rain coat slipping over my eyes, clutching my bag trying to protect the phone and camera as the skies opened and unable to learn the unspoken rules and choreography of the streets.

However, I do love a bit of chaos, and it was also electrifying in the sense that all the colour, textures and patterns got the dopamine pumping! Little old ladies, hiding amongst a dense forest of new year decorations, a grey head popping out in the sea of red. Lanterns twinkled in petrol puddles, and rain ponchos flew past creating a rainbow coloured traffic jam. Ladies in traditional hats, carried baskets of fruits, balanced on their shoulders and weaved in and out of the patchwork of bikes that decorate the road from dawn to dusk.

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